There are many redundant threads on FlyerTalk and I agree most of them are started because the poster didn’t do a search. However, many duplicate threads are started because the title of the original thread wasn’t clear or because off-topic discussion occurred in a previous thread and somebody started a new thread containing that information.

Example #1:
title of original thread: OH MY GOD!!!
title of duplicate thread: DL/CO/NW Alliance Approved

IMHO, the original - not the duplicate – thread should be closed, as its topic wasn’t clear. Personally, I would skip a thread titled “OH MY GOD!!!” However, I’ve seen multiple incidents on FT in which the duplicate thread is either closed or linked to the original thread (to continue discussion in the former); discussion from the original thread should be linked to the duplicate thread and not vice versa. Topics should be clear.

Example #2:
title original thread: Delta Names LCC “Song” Airlines (+thread has a discussion about DL winning Freddies)
title of duplicate thread: DL Wins Freddies!
Delta winning Freddies is off-topic to Delta naming its LCC Song Airlines (or is it Song Air Lines ); it should be perfectly acceptable for somebody to start a new thread and link to the discussion in the previous thread. It should not be acceptable for somebody to lock the duplicate thread. Topics should be coherent.

*I intentionally fabricated the examples, but they’re modeled after actual examples.

Topics on FlyerTalk should be clear and coherent. If they’re not, then they – not duplicate threads – should be linked & locked.

Just my opinion.

From another more strictly moderated web site:

Question:
I have a good idea for a thread. Can I start it?

Answer:
First, please look at the list of all existing threads, and make sure you're not duplicating something that's already being discussed elsewhere. Because if you do duplicate an existing thread, your thread will get closed. You can use the Forum Subject Search to help out in this matter.


However, this type of moderation requires a lot more of the volunteers and I don't know if that's possible.

FWIW I agree with your post and share your frustration.

www.televisionwithoutpity.com is not just a "more strictly moderated site" it is THE more strictly moderated site. (JeffS' example is instantly recognizable as TWoP)

But it is a poor example for this case. That forum has a few standing topics, with new topics looked upon in a highly suspect way. These topics then go on for hundreds and thousands of posts, only replaced when they get too big for the software to parse effectively. They also have totally different software that works best with few, but very long threads.

A better example is www.tivocommunity.com which has more active moderation and does close duplicate threads, but creates threads at a rate much closer to the rate at which FlyerTalk creates them.

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robb is clearly within the margin of sampling error - Googlism

[This message has been edited by robb (edited 01-30-2003).]

This might be more correctly posted to the newly re-opened "Only Randy Petersen" Forum I imagine? If he agrees he may so instruct the moderators to adopt it.

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~ Glen ~

Come and visit the most ** FRIENDLY FORUM ** on FlyerTalk. No flame wars, no personal abuse, no substance abuse. Not much of anything really!

Just as an example of the confusion, a "redundant" thread was locked down tonight in the Starwood forum. The curious thing is that another of that forum's moderators had just posted in that thread.

Another example:

(Continental Fourm):
locked thread: Continental Connection to Introduce Four Nonstop Routes From Cleveland

original thread: Props returning to CLE

The first thread's title is clear. The second's is not.

** With respect to IAH_FLYER and umguy.

Only to those of us who know too much about tv as it is.